Ancient History

Every course addresses a wider set of critical concerns, such as cultural awareness and literary sensibility, and maintains a steady focus on sharpening our students’ analytical thinking and writing skills. Classical education invites students to share in the appreciation and the scrutiny of the legacies of the ancient world. 

The study of the Latin language is one of the primary means of access to the vanished culture of the ancient Romans, not only their rich and varied literature but also their politics, legal system, philosophical thought, daily life, and burial customs. In addition, even a modest achievement in Latin can make one a much more effective and knowledgeable user of the English language and many other modern languages.

Studying of Greek provides a wide range of Greek poetry and prose – epic, lyric poetry, history, drama, philosophy, and New Testament Greek, by authors such as Homer, Sappho, Herodotus, Sophocles, Aristophanes, Plato, and Paul.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR IN ANCIENT HISTORY

1. Prerequisite: Greek 10 (Readings in Greek Prose and Poetry) or Latin 10 (Readings in Latin Prose and Poetry), or equivalent.
2. Classical Studies 14 (Greek History: Archaic and Classical Greece) and 17 (Roman History: The Republic).
3. Three additional courses selected from: Classical Studies 11 (Sport and Democratization), 15 (Alexander the Great and the Macedonean Kings), 18 (History of the Roman Empire: Roman Principate to Christian Empire), 29 (Independent Study Project if written on an historical topic), and 31 (Ancient Literature and History: Study Abroad).
4. Classical Studies 19 (Methods and Theory in Ancient History).
5. Two Greek or Latin courses numbered 20 or higher (GRK 21Homer, GRK 22 The Lyric Age of Greece, GRK 24 Theatre, GRK 26 Intellectual Enquiry in Classical Athens, GRK 28 Philosophy, GRK 29 New Testament, GRK 30.03 Studies in Greek and Latin Literature, GRK 85 Independent Reading and Research, GRK 87 Thesis. LAT 20 Vergil, LAT 22 Literature of the Republic, LAT 24 The Augustan Age, LAT 26 Literature of the Early Empire, LAT 28 Literature of the Later Empire and the Middle Ages, LAT 30.02 Studies in Greek and Latin Literature, LAT 85 Independent Reading and Research, LAT 87 Thesis)
6. Two additional courses selected from:
   • Classical Studies 11, 15, 18, 29 (if written on an historical topic), and 31.
   • Classical Studies 6 (Introduction to Classical Archaeology), 20-26 (Greek Prehistoric Archaeology: The Emergence of Civilization in the Aegean, From Disaster to Triumph: Greek Archaeology from the Destruction of Mycenae to the Persian Wars, Greek Classical Archaeology: City-States and Panhellenic Sanctuaries, Etruscan and Early Roman Archaeology: The Rise of Rome, Early Roman Imperial Archaeology: The First Emperors, Later Roman Imperial Archaeology: The Golden Age and Beyond, Independent Study Project).
   • Courses in Greek or Latin numbered 20 or higher.
   • Classical Studies 3 (Reason and the Good Life: Socrates to Epictetus) and Classical Studies 12.
7. Completion of Culminating Experience Requirement.
   One related course from outside the Classics Department may, with depart­mental approval, serve in partial satisfaction of this requirement (for example, a thematically appropriate offering of History 95).

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MINOR IN ANCIENT HISTORY

1. Four courses in ancient history selected from Classical Studies 11, 14, 15, 17-19.
2. Two courses in Classical archaeology selected from Classical Studies 6, 20-26.
3. One additional course selected from:
   • Ancient History (Classical Studies 11, 14, 15, 17-19).
   • Ancient Archaeology (Classical Studies 6, 20-26).
   • Courses in Greek and Latin num­bered 10 or higher (excluding Greek 11).
   • Classical Studies 2-5 or Classical Studies 12.

Participation in either of the Classics Department’s Foreign Study Programs will meet the requirements for two of the above seven courses, one in archaeology and one in ancient history (Classical Studies 30 and 31, respectively).

1.       SAT Reasoning or ACT (with Writing);

2.       2 SAT Subject Test Scores;

3.       The common application essay;

4.       Within the Common Application, Dartmouth’s writing supplement requires that applicants write a brief response to one of the following supplemental essay prompts. Candidates choose one topic and respond;

5.       A counselor recommendation and two teacher recommendations. In addition, a peer recommendation is strongly encouraged;

6.       Resume;

7.       Brief abstract of an independent research project;

8.       IELTS or TOEFL (no minimum scores)

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